US Postal Service issues Star Wars stamps

The US Postal Service is to issue 15 special edition postal stamps designed to commemorate the 30th anniversary of Star Wars next month.

The new stamps take in characters from all six movies in the Star Wars saga.

The stamps will officially go on sale on Friday May 25, after a dedication ceremony at the Star Wars Celebration IV event at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

More than five billion copies of the stamps have been printed by the USPS to cope with the expected demand from collectors worldwide.

David Failor, executive director of stamp services at the US Postal Service, said: "Star Wars fans everywhere will delight in the issuance of these exciting new postage stamps."